Transgender Rep. Sarah McBride (D-DE) slammed Republicans for blocking a vote on her proposed amendments to the 2026 defense authorization bill. McBrides two amendments sought to end the presidents ban on trans people in the military and to reinstate retirement benefits to trans troops who were ousted just shy of their 20-year eligibility requirement. Last month, the Air Force announced it was rescinding its offer of early retirement and associated lifetime benefits to transgender service members who served between 15 and 18 years in the force. Related Court rolls back trans workers victory citing recent Supreme Court decision in Skrmetti I know a few members of this chamber cant seem to muster any maturity when they have a transgender colleague, she said on the House floor, but members of the U.S. Armed Forces can and have.She explained that trans people have served successfully in the military for years and there was no problem until the administration decided to fire thousands of qualified, capable service members simply because of their gender identity. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today These servicemembers were proudly serving arm in arm with their peers, deploying, training, leading. and sacrificing. They met the same standards, passed the same tests, earned the same promotions, and they were praised by their commanding officers.She slammed Republicans for creating problems where none existed by removing thousands of loyal patriots from service, squandering investments made in their training and careers, and disrupting lives and units. This ban doesnt strengthen our military; it weakens it, she said. It doesnt uphold our values; it betrays them. And it sends the cruelest message to some of our most devoted patriots, that one identity they hold matters more than their service.She concluded by promising to never stop fighting for every patriot that serves our country.Its one thing for some of my colleagues to disrespect me, but its another thing entirely to disrespect the people who lay down their lives for this country. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Congresswoman Sarah McBride (@congresswomansarahmcbride) A January executive order decried radical gender ideology and called trans people are mentally ill, comparing gender dysphoria to eating disorders and being bipolar. Consistent with the military mission and longstanding DoD policy, expressing a false gender identity divergent from an individuals sex cannot satisfy the rigorous standards necessary for military service, it declared, claiming being trans conflicts with a soldiers commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle.This is not the first time McBride has eviscerated the GOP for its trans military ban on the House floor. In July, she called it immoral, unfair, and un-American, noting that it has forced thousands of highly qualified patriots out of military service while weakening the military and wasting billions in taxpayer dollars. In May, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision with the Courts Democratic appointees all dissenting that the administration can implement the trans military ban while the lawsuits against the policy proceed in lower courts.The DOJ told the Supreme Court that the transgender ban is not a ban on transgender people serving in the military, but is instead a ban on people with the medical condition gender dysphoria. Solicitor General John Sauer argued that the separation of powers requires the judicial branch to leave military staffing decisions to the executive branch.Lawyers for the trans servicemembers argued that thousands of transgender people would be discharged while the court challenges are heard, a process that could take years. They said that the executive order plainly states that its based on animus towards trans people, just in the language it uses about trans people not being honorable. Moreover, they argued that transgender people have served in the military throughout the Biden administration without any issues, citing studies that military readiness isnt affected by trans people serving openly.An estimated 8,000 to 15,000 trans service members have since begun to be kicked out of the military due to the Supreme Court decision.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.